If you thought the controversy over Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson’s comments about gays had exploded and was big, you ain’t see nothing yet: new comments have emerged that are likely to take it to another level — and perhaps provide some benefits and risks to conservatives who are defending him. The new words make his previous comments seem like those issued by a diplomat:

Astonishing video has emerged in which Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson attacks gay people as ‘ruthless’ and ‘full of murder’ – charging them as ‘arrogant’ and liable to ‘invent ways of doing evil’.

Administering his deeply controversial views in the fervent manner of a preacher, the stark footage of Robertson, 67, sees him equate homosexuality with bestiality as he bellows that ‘they bow down to birds animals and reptiles and each other and the first thing you see coming out of them is gross sexual immorality.’

Hectoring the friendly crowd of the Wild Game Supper at the Berean Bible Church in Pennslyvania, Robertson accuses gay people of dishonoring and degrading behavior asking the rhetorical question ‘is this going on in America right now?’- answering with the statement, ‘Look around…boy, is there some immorality going on around here!’

The video:

More from Mailonline:

The blistering anti-gay rant – in which Robertson directly quotes from the Bible – was recorded three years ago, coming to light on the same day that the Roberston family said they were standing behind the family patriarch – stating they couldn’t see the show continuing without him.

The speech is taken from an hour long address given by the Duck Dynasty star two years before the huge hit appeared on screens nationwide.

It is also safe to assume that it was at least one year before A&E commissioned Robertson and his family to be the stars of the show, which is the highest rated cable reality program ever.

This has led to some questioning whether executives at A&E were aware of Robertson’s staunch views on homosexuality and if so, why did they green-light him and his family to star?

Robertson begins what is presumably his keynote after-dinner speech by approaching the podium holding his trademark duck calls in one hand and in the other, his Bible.
Addressing the state of the nation and how far it has strayed from the example laid out by Jesus and the Founding Fathers, Roberston begins to preach his opinions on the sexual morality of some sections of society.

While he never explicitly mentions the words homosexuality or gay, there is no doubt as to the topic of Robertson’s vitriol.

The Washington Post reports that GOPers who want to get the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination see this as a good way to woo Evangelicals, which still make up a vital part fo the Republican Party base — particularly, the part of the base that votes in primaries.

But now this could become risky: as the new video becomes the new development in this story, defending Robertson could still have a payoff for conservatives trying to woo the far right part of the Republican base but defending Robertson in light of the video will drive an even deeper wedge between Republicans and Americans who aren’t conservative as it will be more branding re-affirmation of the Republican Party as a party that either excludes of doesn’t respect key segments of the electorate.

Expect those who were attacking Robertson to redouble their attacks now — and those defending him to dig in their heels and attack those who are attacking him (the usual 21st century political tactic).

Another implication. Duck Dynasty’s family has made it clear they need to do show with Robertson and have been in discussion with A&E about it’s future. the new comments will likely make it more difficult for the show to continue with Robertson or for any major cable company to pick it up with the patriarch as part of its branding.

Ignorant, hateful, and not sane messages sell eh? They even make political defenders dig their heels in. Welcome to the asylum. Major retail outlets are flooded with duck dynasty paraphernalia right now. I hope they have trouble selling all that crap.

sheknows

The red states love these guys!! They could exist in more than sustainable wealth just pandering to them. ( I say they and not he..because we are all pretty sure the rest of them feel the same way or we would have heard about it)

Unlike Paula Deen who unintentionally revealed her bigotry and expressed a seemingly sincere apology, these guys wear it like a badge.
They are knuckle dragging troglodites who really should not be given the press they are after to spread their hateful message.

SteveK

It good to see that evidence exists showing Mr. Robertson’s homophobic remarks weren’t a onetime slip of the tongue, but from what I’ve read he was suspended by A&E because of the racist tone in his remarks not the gay bashing.

Why this part of the story seemingly being given a pass?

sheknows

Steve…I think they are given a pass by the media because to bring up the racial aspect would make them actual bigots…and we can’t have noted Republicans defending racial bigotry now can we?
It is well known however that Republicans hate gays…so that’s alright…it’s just a difference of religious opinion.

yoopermoose

Steve, I saw on another site (I don’t recall which) that GLAAD has a rapid response team to respond to these types of situations whereas the NAACP does not. That is why the anti-gay remarks are getting the most attention.

roro80

People don’t generally come to hateful, ignorant, bigoted views randomly over night. It is quite unsurprising that this guy has held these beliefs for a long time. What a piece of trash. If anyone would like to know why so many people speak ill of the this sort of US brand of Christianity, this is it — using your faith as a bludgeon for hate is not ok. And I am so over all the public support this guy is receiving. Did anyone get a whiff of the family’s garbage non-pology? In a nutshell, it basically said that his words were a little “coarse” and “unedited”, but that it was his right to express his faith, and that there’s nothing wrong with that. Yes, yes there most certainly is something wrong with that. If your religion tells you to be hateful homophobic racist jerks, there’s something wrong with your religion.

DORIAN DE WIND, Military Affairs Columnist

I wasn’t going to comment on garbage like this during the holidays, but let me just say: Roro, you have said it all for me. Thanks

roro80

Why this part of the story seemingly being given a pass?

I may not articulate this particularly well, but my thoughts on this go toward the conservative strategy that says that all the bad press the right gets is due to PR gaffes instead of the actual hateful things behind their words. Anti-woman, homophobic, racist, rich-take-all crap policies are all super-duper as long as we can wrap it in nice-sounding language and dog-whistles. The racist comments point toward a deeply ugly sentiment — that black people in the Jim Crow era somehow enjoyed or benefited from their own subjugation and lack of rights — but the hatefulness of such a thought isn’t necessarily explicity if you don’t know jack about history or oppression or justice. It doesn’t come straight out and say “black people are lazy idiots who should have their rights taken away for their own good and happiness”, even though that’s the logical extension. The homophobic comments, however, come straight out and say that they are like animal-f***ers and pedophiles, and here that they are murderous and evil. If your whole game is to have hateful garbage views but deliver them in dogwhistles, the racist comments achieve this goal, and the homophobic comments do not.

I could be wrong, but that’s my guess on this.

roro80

Thanks DDW.

Willwright

Who actually cares what these yahoos say or do? I hope no beings from outer space are watching that decide this is the best the human race can do. They might schedule us for elimination before we become too advanced and start spreading our infection to the rest of the universe.

rudi

Why is it that the Right is defending these Bozo’s?(No offense to real clowns). One Nutter is comparing the Ducks to Rosa Parks.

I don’t like reality shows and haven’t watched Duck Dynasty. I did read the GQ article where his statements led to this situation. I’m surprised no one else mentioned Robertson talking about having the leave the state after he assaulted a man and his wife. Robertson’s mother or wife had to pay the man, according to Robertson, before he came back to the state. Robertson brushed off the whole event by saying he didn’t want to dredge up the past and he was born again (and therefore absolved?). All this in the context of discussion of sins. Scary that he is supposedly a role model or spokesman for Christianity. I always thought of reality shows as the modern version of a freak show–we can feel better about ourselves when we see how bizarre others can be (e.g., Honey Boo-Boo’s mother can help your average imperfect parent feel pretty good that she’s not exploiting her kids when she watches). Ok, I confess I watched Honey Boo Boo a few times!

Rambie

Funny how these conservatives screamed for Martin Bashir to be fired from CNN yet rally around Phil.

So true. Bigots leave a long trail. Especially in this day and age of new media.

Who is a bigot? In my view, she or he refuses to accept the members of a particular group based on their political opinion, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, disability or economic status. They seem to struggle with the ability to separate individuals from groupings.

The_Ohioan

big·ot noun \?bi-g?t\

: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group)

Full Definition of BIGOT

: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance

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“I’ve been asked by a number of folks to respond to the Duck debacle, so here goes. Yes, the Duck people have their right to free speech, and no, it does not extend to the TV show, on which they are paid to appear. Yes, the network, A&E (from whose name the word “Arts” should be permanently expunged), is perfectly within their rights to censor anything and everything that appears on their airwaves.”

” I should also add that you are not only within your rights to turn of the idiocy and all that has transpired since; you should, by now, feel entirely compelled to do so. So watch the Duck-heads at your own peril, and bid adieu to the grey matter that will gradually ooze from your cranial orifices as you do. It’s within its rights never to return for such abuse ever again.

My greatest concern is that people seem to feel the need to pick sides in all of this. You’re either standing up for the Duck rednecks and their desire to spread the gospel by Duck-call (and therefore you love baby Jesus), or you’re a breathless advocate for A&E, that perennial bastion of intellectual thought, critical social commentary and cultural enrichment.

Frankly, neither should matter this much. To anyone. They both want something from you, and my tuning in, you’re indulging both. It’s neither shocking that a band of rednecks are fundamentalist, homophobic Christians, or that a basic cable network will pander to the lowest common cultural denominator. Rather than feeling enraged, incensed or emboldened by any of it, you should feel exploited.